A blog discussing the macro forces shaping the global economy today and over the horizon. Popular topics include Globalization, Trade, Sustainability, Innovation, Technology, Healthcare and Supply Chain Logistics.

A blog discussing the macro forces shaping the global economy today and over the horizon.

Our Best 2018 Leadership Articles

Some are quiet. Some are loud. Some are meticulous. Some are instinctive. Some have decades of experience. Some are brand new on the job.

Regardless of their style, however, they know how to get the most out of their people and make adjustments when necessary.

Whether pushing the boundaries of space travel like Richard Branson or simply trying to boost their team’s performance at work, effective leaders are change makers.

We drew inspiration from these leadership stories in 2018.

Richard Branson jokes that he rarely says no to much of anything, which has earned him the nickname Doctor Yes among his peers. The founder of the Virgin Group says such a mindset fueled his well-known success in the airline and music businesses, among other ventures, as well as his philanthropy around the world.

It’s also the driving force as Virgin pushes the boundaries of space exploration and transportation here on Earth with technologies like the Hyperloop. But should business leaders embrace their own versions of Doctor Yes? Read more

Former Marine Corps Lt. Drew Humphreys knows a thing or two about leadership. Before joining the business world, he was in charge of 37 Marines who fought the Taliban and maintained a vital supply route through Helmand Province.

This helped Humphreys recognize the connection between the decentralized management model and how we manage machine learning in business. His leadership strategy, outlined above, offers three team-building lessons that can help any manager. Read more

When David Abney became UPS’s CEO, he inherited a decision to automate drivers’ routes. This decision was made after their average delivery cycle was complicated by a blizzard of new elements.

Result: Deliveries were to be made within hours not within the old five or six days. But could all the team’s horsepower and its engineering smarts resolve the enigma? Read more

Experts say there will be a $30 trillion transfer of wealth over the next 30 years. That’s a significant figure, but something even more significant is at stake – the transfer of human capital.

Put another way: More than three-fourths of the population is either entering the workforce or exiting. It makes no sense for these folks to merely pass by each other with a cursory nod. Read more

UPS Chief Marketing Officer Kevin Warren is a constant student of tennis, which got him thinking about the similarities between the sport and business.

While there are some more obvious business-relevant game play requirements like placement, timing, positioning and strategy, the best players – and the best business people – have mastered these individual lessons. Read more